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Hi everyone! how was your first day back? I know mine was cut short and I had a very long commute home. On the way home though on the slow moving train I had a lot of down time.

Something about beginning your twenties and beginning a new chapter in your life becomes a little sentimental. You all know what I’m talking about everyone goes through the motions. You thought you had a plan and now you don’t know if your making the right decisions or your experiencing things that are incredibly more difficult then usual. You suddenly have ten years ahead of you that are jam packed with major life changing events. But its hard knowing what you want these next ten years to be like, but you often can’t settle with just simply not knowing. As you continue on through your next life stages you will start to realize things about life that will make your journey easier .

#1. You will Fail at something more than once, even the things you love.

At some point you will screw up your life like crazy, like really mess it up to a point you didn’t know was even possible. It will happen more then once in your lifetime too trust me. You are going to want to give up, you are going to want to be alone, or be with friends. But KEEP GOING I promise you it is worth it. This past semester I had one of those royal screw ups , not because I wanted to but because of life changing events that kept happening to me. I chose my emotions over the things I have worked so hard for, but I got through it and I am stronger then ever.

#2. How important is it to move away from home? Extremely

Lately I know a lot of friends that have been getting into it with there parents, whom all of which live at home and are in there twenties. Moving away will help this problem dissolve , it will make you realize what home actually means to you. You start to appreciate the little things and you the things that make you cringe go away. It helps you figure out who you are, how much you can take and how you will handle your life from this moment on.

#3. Debt? Your in college sweetie ( Haha)

Yes, everyone thinks they are in debt because they are in college. But are you making a mess of your credit score? do you have any money left in your account? If you have money to spare and your not in crazy debt take my advice. Travel, invest , learn something you always wanted to. I know for me I’d much rather live a life of debt if it was one I was proud of. If I did the things I always dreamed of, rather then be in debt and have no cool stories to tell. These experiences will change your life.

#5.What do you like? What don’t you like?

I know for me I landed my dream job , which I was working hard at everyday to realize it wasn’t what I wanted. Test things out before committing to it for life. You will try new food in your life, change your favorite drink or flowers a million and one times . This is what makes your twenties , you need to learn who you are , what you love and what you hate more then anything in this world. Let go of what others think and be you! You will realize nothing else matters if your not truly happy.

Lastly #6. Learn who is really there for you

Man did I have trouble over this past year with this. At this point in your life so much stuff changes you go to college, you graduate, move, different jobs, have kids (maybe) the normal things people do. Sometimes your friends from high school will not continue to follow you through the motions of life , and that is really hard to be ok with sometimes. But you will make so many new friends, join new circles and start networking. It’s kinda like that movie bridesmaids, yes we’ve all seen it , if you haven’t watch it you’ll love it. She gets all of her bridesmaids together some old and some new and they don’t clash. Her maid of honor feels like she’s changed because of the new people she’s around but that’s not the case she just found more things she enjoys. People will come and go through your life, just remember you can’t force anyone to stay nor would you want them to if you have to force them.

Being in college and a new stage of your life is difficult but don’t ever think your alone. Millions of people your age are feeling this way, most just don’t talk about it. Or they haven’t faced that one really bad screw up moment yet, once you do you’ll know what it feels like.

How is everyone feeling tonight on this snowy evening? Any new life changes?

So in fourth semester interior design studio we are asked to make a light fixture , that’s right a real working light fixture . You have to wire it , make an actual blue print of it , and sketch other ways it can be turned into a different light fixtures . This light will then be placed in your restaurant that you will be designing . You will pick a movie and then base your lighting fixture off that movie .

My movie was Julie and Julia , most of you may know it . It’s a classic ,one of my favorites . I was so excited when I recieved it I worked harder on it then any other project I have had in the program. After many sketches and ideas that got passed on , I finally got it !

Overall I spent around 200.00 dollars , there was no limit on what could be used or how much you could spend or not spend . But for mine I went all out .

First I went to home depot, I knew I wanted a perforated metal but I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to find one. This was actually one long strip of metal that my dad bent for me into this oval and drilled holes in.

Next we used metal tubing to hide wires and also keep the oval steady so it would be able to hold its own weight ( this fixture weighs almost 80 pounds) .

Next in the holes that were created we drilled into spoons I found at a thrift store. True silver spoons, I didn’t realize how hard this would be until I actually did it. There are over 100 spoons of all variations and ages. Serving spoons, dessert spoons, soup spoons, you name it it has it.

I wish I could post the video but I am not great at editing things yet and its to long. But the inner LED is a flexible band with changing colors. I put this on the inside edge of the metal and ran the wire through the top to look like it was apart of the hanging feature.

Remember I said this fixture weighs a lot? Well I carried this from Penn station to the 5th floor of the D building all by myself. I think the excitement of showing the critiques and my classmates gave me a little boost of adrenalin to carry it that far. ( In heels may I add)

In the end I got an A on my project, it was truly a project I put my heart and soul into and also something I couldn’t be more proud of in my career in the interior design program.

is there anything you are excited to do at FIT? Are you excited about the light fixture ?

Hey everyone! Finals are finally over , along with final projects! This semester was my last semester as an interior design student. That’s right, I am switching majors! I couldn’t be more excited to join the international trade and marketing major. But before all the new fun begins I had to finish my final fourth semester interior design project.

Fourth semester one of your projects will be designing a light fixture which you will then have to use in a restaurant you design. The light fixture for my project was based off Julie and Julia the movie. ( which you can see along with directions on how to make it in my next blog post ” How to engineer a light fixture” .

So for restaurant I was assigned Texas BBQ which includes sloppy ribs , cowboy boots and all things big and Texas haha. So I decided to put a little spin on it and design a higher end bbq restaurant.

This was a screen shot from when I was working on it. My best advice to all incoming interior design students learn Photoshop, lumion, sketchup, all rendering programs as soon as you can . it will make your life so much easier! For this project I used sketchup. I feel that it is very easy to learn, I taught myself with the book ” google sketchup the missing manual” and by just playing around endlessly. FIT does teach you programs as autocad and revit but not until your bachelors will you learn how to render in these programs and you need to know how by atleast third semester. Also photoshop is offered but not required to take. The more programs you learn and add to your skill set can only help you not only at FIT but in the real world. Most interior designers aren’t using Revit completely yet and that’s a great skill to have to bring to a company.

Overall my restaurant came out pretty good for my second attempt at using sketchup. I used a lot of dark woods and creative ceiling solutions with all sustainable elements. NEVER FORGET THE CEILING OR THE LIGHTING ! most students do and that’s critical to show you truly understand the floor plan and overall design of the space.

The interior design program was challenging but worth every second of hard work. It has taught me things I know people in other design programs have no idea about. Maybe after my bachelors in marketing I will go back to interior design , only time will tell.

Goodbye FIT interior designers, I will miss you all so much you became my family, along with my amazing professors ! But its time to start the new chapter of my life!

Did you stop by the Dubinsky center lobby this morning? It’s Commuter week at FIT!! Today is Breakfast on the go! ( with free giveaways may I add!!.. Who doesn’t love some free stuff??)

Besides the free breakfast ( bagels) They are also giving away MTA subway cards, MTA monthly cards, portable chargers, IPAD mini, and water bottles! They are also having a scavenger hunt that has been going on all week. It ends at 4pm today but you still have a chance to win one of many prizes. Visit my friends at the table and they will give you all the information you need.

Also participate in FIT student association government social media contest for Commuter Week. Post your commute to or from FIT in the most creative way, and get automatically entered to win a monthly metro card and other grand prizes. Winner will be posted on all FIT student association government social media daily.

Well everyone it is my fourth and final semester as an Interior Design Student, I will be graduating in the winter ( Can’t wait). It has been a long grueling road in the Interior design Department for myself but I couldn’t be happier I made it through. So my first project of this semester was to make a four floor society. My society was actually one that we do have in New Jersey. It is called Ear Candy and Ear Candy helps repair old musical instruments for under privileged children and also offers classes to teachers to help there students further there interest.

This project came with it’s challenges just like every other. Between losing family members and starting a new job it has been difficult to focus on school but luckily I pushed through. My main suggestion when you get to fourth semester interior design is ….. ( drum roll please).. Know what your good at and stay with it. For me I tried to render on the computer for the first time and well it didn’t come out amazing but it taught me a lot! I wouldn’t suggest doing that when doing a project such as this. You tend to run into problems you wouldn’t normally think about.

This is what my Friday and Saturday nights have been looking like. I made a 1/4″ four floor model , it was fun but very time consuming.

I am pretty good at sketch up , I know the tips and tricks but when rendering in it I didn’t find it to convey my design as best as it could. So I tried Lumion but I never tried it before and a lot came up when trying to use both programs such as in Lumion you must label each thing you want to render as a different material or your entire project will be one material ( Like mine turned out). It is an amazing program to use but I would suggest playing around with it more before using it on a project. Lumion isn’t on every computer in our school but it is in C229 and the basement lab under the C building. ( Its very expensive so not everywhere has access to it ). If any one has any suggestions for my next project I’d love to know!

The image below is almost what one of my boards looks like but not quite, plus there is 5 more. So I haven’t presented yet , I present on Tuesday ( this is the first time I have ever been done early) But once I do I will be sure to post more pictures of how it turned out and how the critique’s helped me improve! Happy Projects design students may the curve be ever in your favor ( just kidding wouldn’t a curve be nice? haha)

In the next couple weeks I will be going to quite a few museums at Rutgers University in New Brunswick ,New Jersey. If you ever wanted to visit its just about 20 minutes away from school by the New Jersey Transit .When you first start there as a transfer student ,which my boyfriend just did they require you to do a certain number of activities around the campus to make sure you get the full affect of everything they have to offer ( it’s actually a course). I think this would be a great thing for FIT to do also but with fashion events, or events related to your major. Your Professors do direct you in events you could go to but they are never required.

So the first museum we attended was called the Zimmerli Museum it had tons of different exhibits, but there main one was the soviet wing . The Soviet Wing had beautiful art work and so much information that I never knew before. Such as during that time period the Soviet’s would tell there people that ” We made the first abstract art piece” which clearly isn’t true but that’s what they were told to believe.

They also had an abstract wing with so many interesting pieces that you would never think of. My favorite ( that i wasn’t aloud to take a picture of) was this huge room with the sculpture that came in and out of the walls, you could walk under it, over it, in between it.

All of the abstract pieces were attached in the building somehow. This one was installed from the ceiling, it was just mesh wire.

There was a wing of miniature statues, this one in particular was my favorite. He was a council man and he looked very fancy. ( I just wanted to take him home!)

The architectural elements in this building were stunning. The stairs and the sky lights were perfectly planned and didn’t affect the general lighting in the space.

These were some paintings and sculptures that were in the Soviet wing. Beautiful vivid bright colors still preserved after all these years.

All the Museums here are either free to students or under $5.00 to get in which isn’t bad at all. The train ticket is approx. $20 to get there and back and when you get off at New Brunswick you are right on the campus so you don’t have to walk far. So if you ever want to venture out of the city and get back to the suburbs take a day trip to New Jersey!

So the first week of school I was walking to the building I’m studying for my interior design studio, I decided to walk there instead of taking the subway or a taxi like I normally would. I am terrified of getting lost in the city by myself . The building I was looking for was close to a place I used to work so I knew a little bit about the area around it. As I was strolling along I came across the Evolution store.

I began to walk past when I took a peak in; I saw incredible things, things I’ve never seen. From the street you would never think the inside would be like a museum. People were all crowded around the counters; there was everything from skulls, insects, crystals, and much more. The Evolution Store has been a landmark in Soho since 1993. They are the premiere destination for science, natural history artifacts, gifts and some collectibles. The store is a member of AAPS, which is the Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences, basically meaning they are an authorized scientific dealer. They are also licensed as a Non-transplant Anatomic bank. All the specimens are obtained from paleontologists, entomologists, anthropologists, and others who supply the museums and private collectors from all across the globe. The evolution store was actually just featured in Veranda magazine with a beautiful butterfly. I was so taken back by the beauty of these creatures I bought two myself when I was at the store only $3.00 if you buy them and mount them yourself. (It is definitely safe to say that I will be adding more to my collection soon) They have a mounting service there, but It can be quite pricey or you can do it yourself and the associates there give you all the directions how to. The average price range in the store can be anywhere from $1.00- $1,000. I purchased two butterflies and a porky pine quill, I learned so much about different animals while I was there. The people that work there do a great job on educating you about everything they have to offer.

This was the butterfly counter, where you could go through all the drawers and pick out any kind of butterfly you could ever imagine. As you can see you can buy them pre-framed or individually.

This is the counter when you first arrive in the store. At the top of the store you can see beautiful hand drawn and painted butterflies for sale. (Very expensive but I would love to own one). Then below in the cases were all stones, crystals, and rocks from all over the world made to be jewelry. Then on top which I thought was the coolest was a taxidermy penguin, at first I was very upset and asked one of the associates if they were harmed in the process and they told me the specimen are only taken after they have passed.

They even had rocks from Pompeii and insects from there also. I was always turned off to the sight of bugs even the thought of it, but after studying them and being educated more about the subject they became more beautiful than ever to me. This was the most exciting place I have ever been in New York thus far; I couldn’t wait to tell everyone I knew about it either. I guess it is safe to say that I will be exploring the city more often. Just on that street in soho they had so many incredible things, its a great area to explore and just walk around if you have some free time.

This week at FIT is #NoImpact Week which offers a ton of fun activities ( Click the picture to link to the programs offered the rest of this week).

FUN FACT -Did you know: As an interior design student I am required to include sustainable elements in my projects? Sustainable elements include anything from cork flooring to paints for walls that aren’t toxic for the environment when being painted on or taken off. As a designer you take care of the well-being of the people around you, the people using your space everyday. Would you want to be in a space designed to protect your well-being and the environment that looks amazing or one that just looks amazing and when it’s taken apart can harm you? #NoImpact

As a Designer you can join the LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) council. LEED is transforming the way we think about how buildings and communities are designed, constructed, maintained and operated across the globe. LEED uses five different categories to judge a building’s sustainability; 1) site location, 2) water conservation, 3)energy efficiency, 4) materials, 5) indoor air quality, and a bonus category for innovation and design.

Many U.S. federal agencies and state and local governments require or reward LEED certification. However, four states (Alabama, Georgia, Maine, and Mississippi) have effectively banned the use of LEED in new public buildings, preferring other industry standards that the USGBC considers too lax.

FIT is one of few interior design programs currently in the united states strictly enforcing the incorporation of sustainable design elements in student projects. FIT practices sustainability in many ways such as our recycling program, reducing paper and other resource use, reducing toxins, and improving indoor air quality. Our sustainable programs are on the up rise right now, putting FIT all over the news. So aren’t you proud of us? Want to be apart of it? You can find out more and how to all this week at the different events.

Welcome back all, or I guess welcome back to me after a long eventful summer. I thought long and hard about what my first post back would be, and it’s something very near and dear to my heart, Suicide awareness .

Just a few days ago I lost someone that was my best friend in high school to suicide . Everyone was shocked to find out what had happened because he never showed any of the signs, never mentioned to anyone anything was bothering him or anything. He was the happiest kid you could meet, and loved anyone that came across him.

Getting back to school and getting adjusted to new surroundings can be difficult sometimes. Or Breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend whatever it may be. Life happens but nothing that’s going on can’t be fixed! Every single person out there is beautiful inside and out, and has an amazing life waiting for them. There are so many people in your life that love you so incredibly much. When my friend passed his wake was filled with all kinds of different people I never knew he was even friends with. He touched so many peoples lives without even knowing it, just like you do too.

So if you know anyone who has been depressed, please contact someone and look out for these signs:

Preoccupation with death.

Suddenly happier, calmer.

Loss of interest in things one cares about.

Visiting or calling people to say goodbye.

Making arrangements; setting one’s affairs in order.

Giving things away, such as prized possessions.

Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself.

Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or buying a gun.

Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.

Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.

Talking about being a burden to others.

Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.

Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.

Sleeping too little or too much.

Withdrawn or feeling isolated.

Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.

Displaying extreme mood swings.

If you or anyone else you know is experiencing these symptoms let someone know. Tell a parent/ guardian. If your at FIT you can go to the Counseling Center located at A212B or call them at 732-217-4260 or you can call the National Suicide prevention hotline 1-800-273-8255. If you ever need to talk , your having a bad day? you can also contact me and I will be there for anyone that needs me.

This month in honor of suicide awareness month and everyone who has lost a life, a loved one please wear yellow or write love on your wrist , just one day this month.

Well everyone its finally SUMMER!!! To those who graduated congratulations and to those that didn’t I know you needed the break to get back to your non-stressed self. For me the summer is a time to take extra classes and read up on things that I know I will be in pursuit of next semester and also some fun reads.

I will be teaching myself more about sketchup this summer so I got the book Google sketchup for dummies which actually has really helped thus far. But some of the fun books I have read so far that I highly recommend are..

1.Animal Farm by George Orwell which Is definitely an illuminating fable that ill change your views on animals and how they are treated.

2.Suffer the children by Craig Dilouie it was called ” a wild and edgy apocalyptic thrill ride” this is one book I highly recommend I’m usually not into books about ” the end of the world” but I couldn’t stop reading from the second I picked it up. I finished it in a few hours and its over 400 pages.

3.Hallow City by Riggs which is actually a sequel to miss peregrines peculiar children. I loved the first book, as we all know second books aren’t always the greatest but I felt otherwise with this book. I loved it more then the first and I cant wait till the movie comes out.

4. Last but not least black moon by Kenneth Calhoun I just started reading it and its doing a pretty good job of drawing me into it thus far. It’s full or emotion and a great out look of what could actually happen to our society.

What books are you reading this summer? Any good beach books I should know about?